The BBC has identified individuals accused of running detention centers in Russian-occupied Ukraine where former prisoners report systematic torture and ill-treatment. These facilities are part of a detention system that the United Nations' human rights office (OHCHR) has described as characterized by "systematic and widespread" abuse of civilians.
According to former detainees, abuses include beatings, electric shocks, mock executions, and sexual violence. Civilians are often arbitrarily detained, with families receiving minimal information about their whereabouts. The Kremlin has previously accused the OHCHR of bias, dismissing allegations of systematic abuse as "groundless lies." In May, the UN added Russia to a list of countries suspected of committing sexual violence in conflict zones.
Ukrainian authorities state that over 16,000 civilians have been taken captive or disappeared since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Some detentions date back to 2014, following Russia's annexation of Crimea and occupation of parts of eastern Ukraine.
One former detainee, identified only as Liudmyla, recounted her experience after being arrested in Novoazovsk, Donetsk region. She was accused of spying after reportedly sharing a photograph of a Ukrainian flag with notes of thanks from Ukrainian forces. She believes this act led to her arrest and subsequent detention at Izolyatsia, a former art gallery that became a notorious detention site.
Former prisoners are calling for the identified jailers and officials to face trial for alleged abuses committed in these detention centers. The OHCHR's findings highlight a grim reality for civilians caught in the conflict, with widespread and systematic human rights violations reported.